Bless Beats Speaks To RWD
We interrupt another Hard Day’s Graft to speak to the unsung hero behind the Rolex craze sweeping the nation… Words By Rajveer Kathwadia“We
knew it would be big, but not this big!” states East London producer
Bless Beats in a greasy spoon café in the heart of Bow “I’ve just come
up with a new sound and people are liking it.” That’s a bit of an
understatement when you consider the ‘new sound’ in question is the
electro/grime/house hybrid that has spawned Wiley’s
Wearing My Rolex which has been snapped up by Atlantic Records, and Skepta’s
Rolex Sweepand it’s corresponding dance which within one week of it’s unveiling at
1Xtra Live; already has a whole heap of fans posting their own
renditions of the ‘ghetto macarena’ on the internet.
“Bless has
found the formula,” Wiley reveals of the experimental music that has
taken BB and himself out of their grimy comfort sound. “You’ve gotta
venture out and experiment,” Bless adds, “There’s no rules to say you
can’t do whatever.” And in a scene which is quick to jump on an
artist’s back if they stray from the norm, the new tunes have
surprisingly been almost universally accepted. “A lot of people would
say that we’ve done this thing all the way over there, but not really
cos everyone in my hood would skank to it and even better is that
people in offices are skanking to it too!” But what about Bless, has he
been perfecting the countdown and circular motion yet? “Of course I
have!” he quickly responds. “But everyone’s doing it, so it must be a
good tune. It’s moving.”
As is Bless, who as well as linking
with Atlantic for the single, has also signed a publishing deal with
Sony, and also has a whole bag of high profile remixes in the pipeline.
Of course all of this has come off of the back of a phenomenal 2007
which not only saw Beats link up with Wiley, Roll Deep, Trim and
Chipmunk amongst others, but also the release of his acclaimed debut
mixtape
Hard Day’s Graft which featured RWD favourites
Lemon Ting and
Spirit In The Beat, as well as the infamous
16 Bar Rally.
“If you haven’t heard it yet my mixtape is just a straight music CD. No
skits, no nonsense. Just put it in your car and from beginning to end
you can enjoy it. It’s an interpretation of what 2007 was for me,
music-wise and people I collaborated with.”
We’re taking a guess
that it wasn’t ACTUALLY made in a day? “Nah not in one day (laughs).
But music is grafting, mixtapes are not easy to put together, anyone
will tell you that, music in general is hard work.” And not one to rest
on his laurels, Bless is nearly ready to roll with the follow up
Another Hard Day’s Graft.
(Duh!) Reluctant to reveal much about the next project outside of the
title track which is produced by Foot and features Bless spitting
alongside Wiley, Riko, Maverick, Jet Le and Foot himself, Beats lets us
know that there is also a video in the pipelines.
Something the
E3 resident is more willing to speak about is the mixtape he is
overseeing for up and coming spitter Axeman. “I understand what talent
is,” Bless confirms in a similar fashion to the faith Wiley showed when
reaching out to the likes of Bless and fellow music maestro Maniac.
“Axeman is 15 and that’s a lot. Out of all the kids that are out, he
stands out to me and that’s why I’m helping him.” And it’s a respect
level that goes both ways. “Before working with Bless I wasn’t really
doing anything.” Axe confesses. “Bless has helped me to get my work
rate up and do a lot of tunes and now the project is looking good. It’s
called
Underage and it features Rude Kid, Maniac, Foot, Skeamz, Target, Danny Weed and the lead single
Ain’t Ready with Wiley, and it should be out in May.”
“I
see the potential he has,” Bless continues, “And to see him reach that
is the best thing, cos that’s what gets me going in the morning; music.
Wiley installed that in me and I’m trying to do the same with Axe.
Obviously he’s in school, but during the holidays it’s on, keeping the
work rate up, writing bars, vocalling beats, cos if you slow down for
five minutes someone else will go past you.”
So who else has
Bless recently linked up with in the studio? “You know what? I work so
far in advance that I even forget what I’ve done. But you should be
able to hear my beats on Quincy’s
You Don’t Know The Half Of It, Lauren Mason’s forthcoming
Keepin It Blonde and of course Wiley’s
Grime Wave. I’ve got about four or five beats on there.”
And
with the likes of Lethal B and Asher D also hollering for beats,
singles, mixtape and albums all on the way, 2008 looks like it will be
very Bless for Beats.